


A Night in the Forest (How I Stopped Living and Started Worrying)

by ThinkingCAPSLOCK



Category: Granblue Fantasy (Video Game)
Genre: Canon Compliant, Gen, Humour
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-04-30
Updated: 2015-04-30
Packaged: 2018-03-26 10:13:08
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 12
Words: 10,020
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3847045
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ThinkingCAPSLOCK/pseuds/ThinkingCAPSLOCK
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>With the promise of limit break materials, Gran and his overly large party set out for a quick jaunt through the forest to obtain them. However, Sierokarte isn't exactly clear on what "quick" entails.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Introduction: Both of You, Split Up Like You Want to Win!

**Author's Note:**

> the main stories are divided into parts, but please do yourself a favour and read it in the order i've set up. you will not regret the thrills and suspense it brings!!

A very, very small forest, that's what they were promised.

Sierokarte had been quite firm on the point - a tiny forest, Dendro Forest, barely even large enough to consider it one. More like a couple scraggly trees, back to back. They couldn't miss the location! And just on the other side, why, all the limit break materials you could _dream_ of. They were so firm, so confident, that Gran immediately ordered the party out to cross through.

Standing in the middle of a small clearing in the dense, never ending wood, Gran thinks a few very choice words. The sun bleeds between the foliage, and his party mulls around, chatting, whispering, standing with their arms crossed so hard that they are two seconds away from bruising themselves - okay, that last one may just have been Gran, but really! Four hours they'd walked, and the only thing they'd seen was the opposite of a few scraggily trees. The timbers are ancient, angry, and spread far beyond what Gran can see.

Gran resolves, as the wind blows and Catalina approaches, that he's never trusting Sierokarte again. That limit break material damn well better be on the other side of the "small" forest, or else-

"Gran, the sun's setting," Catalina's voice is quiet, but firm. Gran releases his death grip, finding his hands cramped into half curved shapes. He tries to subtly shake them. Catalina looks away politely as he wildly flails for a few moments.

"We don't seem like we're going to get a choice on this, do we?" Gran replies. "We'll have to set up camp for the night. Probably just here... it seems protected enough."

The clearing is large enough to set up camp, even with how large Gran's current party is. Welder chases Vee around for who knows what reason, Oigen leans casually next to Serefira and Lyria as the two ignore him, and Rakamu chats with Io and Eruta. Gran would have set out with a smaller group had he known he'd be stuck with them all in the woods overnight. He feels a frown settle back down on his face. It's all for the limit materials.

"Gran," Catalina interrupts his angry thoughts, again, and this time she sounds a bit more serious. "We don't have any food."

Well they wouldn't need to eat if they had limit break materials, Gran thinks bitterly, but he clears his throat loudly all the same.

No one looks.

"A-HEM," Gran announces. Lyria notices, elbows Serefira, and points. Soon, thankfully, everyone's paying attention. Except Welder. Welder's climbed a tree and seems to be talking to it. Gran decides to ignore him.

"We have no choice but to camp here, thanks to our faulty information-"

"Don't try and protect them!" Vee cuts in, huffing, rage boiling behind his eyes. He flaps his wings angrily. Vee's mastered flapping angrily ever since Sierokarte sent them on a mission to bake flans, which ended up to be killing Flans. The lack of desserts haunted them all to this day. "Why, if it wasn't so long a trip back, I'd leave right now and give Sierokarte a piece of my mind for neglecting to mention this!"

"Moving along," Gran interjects. "I think we've all noticed how much larger Dendro Forest is than we were initially told."

Everyone stares blankly at him. Did _anyone_ listen before they set out? Gran pinches his nose and continues.

"We need food, supplies, and to set up camp. We're going to have to split up. I want an early rise tomorrow morning so we can get the limit break materials as early as possible, and get back to the casino."

Catalina frowns at that, but Rakamu and Oigen cheer and high five.

"I'll lead a hunting party, so if you want, volunteer and come along," Gran says. "But I'll need a few people to stay back and set up the tents here at camp."

"I can do that," Catalina says, shifting her weight forward. "That way, I can cook whatever you catch for the team."

She smiles. Gran does his best to hold his face steady. He sees Rakamu pale. Eruta starts shaking in his boots. Io clutches Lyria's arm, tugging her to whisper in her ear. Oigen just looks bored.

"Lyria and I want to come hunting!" Io yells, running forwards. She grabs Gran's leg. "Catalina, you can't let us go alone, right? You have to come with us!"

Io catches Gran's eye. Gran gives her his fastest "Thank you for sparing me stomach cramps" look, before glancing back up at Catalina. She rubs her chin. Io and Gran lean forwards. She pushes her hair behind her ear. Eruta hides his face in his hands. She hmms to herself. Rakamu grabs his stomach.

She opens her mouth.

"I can stay behind if you want to go look after them," Serefira's cool, low voice cuts into the tension. She gives a smile, that Catalina returns, and everyone exhales a sigh of relief at once.

"If you'll stay instead, I'll come along and help Gran hunt," Catalina agrees. "Thank you. I'd feel much better knowing where Lyria and Io are."

Oigen shifts his shoulders. A grin spreads across his face. Gran feels his face pale. "Well, I suppose we do need to protect the younguns, huh?" Gran stares at him. Wills him not to continue. Oigen is _not_ coming along. "Maybe I'll-"

"We need firewood," Gran interrupts. His heart pounds. "It's super important. A fire. Can you get firewood, Oigen?"

Oigen doesn't seem happy, but he shrugs, going into a bag to pull out an axe. "Sure, I can gather firewood no-"

A blurry, dark shape slams down between them, causing Oigen to yelp. Io hides her face in Gran's leg as he flinches back. Catalina doesn't move an inch. Slowly, the figure rises, red brown hair glinting in the failing sun, the feather cap ruffling along with the bedraggled cloak-

Okay, it's just Welder.

He whips around, jamming a finger into Oigen's beard. "How dare you!" 

Oigen blinks, slowly, as Io peeks up. She and Gran share another look, this one of, "not this again". Welder turns, throwing his hands to the air as he falls on one knee.

"How dare you say this before me! Do you think you, Oigen, with that patchy beard, know the spirit of the wood? Has your soul been touched by the Oaken hands, and fallen deep beneath the soil in entangled roots, lost to your mind and the will of the cosmos?"

From under his cloak, he throws leaves in the air above him. They descend, slowly, as his piercing gaze falls upon each member of the group in turn. Rakamu nods gravely. Serefira studies her nails. Eruta stares, confused, and Vee rolls his eyes. Catalina and Lyria have started talking. Oigen is on his second blink since Welder landed still. Io picks at a piece of grass lodged between plates on Gran's leg.

Gran himself is wondering how much more of his life he will waste standing here, waiting for Welder to finish his speech. Interrupting doesn't always work. He's learned that the hard way.

As the final leaf settles, Welder rises again. His eyes are dark. "Oigen. I cannot let you go into this wood alone. It's voice... distant. I don't trust it. I will come with you. We will leave now."

"But I-"

Welder grabs Oigen's arm and drags. He doesn't turn back. Oigen casts one helpless look over his shoulder and disappears into the woods. Silence settles over the clearing. Gran notices he isn't the only one staring at the spot they just left. What were they doing before?

Camp. Hunting. Right. Gran clears his throat again.

"Are we missing anything?" he asks, scanning the party. Most people still seem a bit stunned, though Catalina's readying her weapon. Io scrambles over to help, and Serefira has started pulling out the tent materials from their packs.

Gran shrugs his shoulder, hefting his own weapon up to his shoulder. He walks over to Io and Catalina, with Lyria coming up close behind.

A tap on his shoulder. Gran turns.

Rakamu picks up a bag and slings it over his shoulder, a grin on his face. "Look after them, alright Gran? I'll go get some water and maybe some root vegetables, and meet you back here for the feast. I saw a stream nearby on our way in."

"Sounds good. Thanks Rakamu. Do you want anyone to come with you?"

"Actually," Serefira speaks up, pushing some of her hair back over her shoulder. "I was wondering if I could keep Eruta to help set up tents with me." 

Eruta looks so pale he may faint. Vee flies over beside him and fans him with his wings. Seems he's staying too.

"I can do this alone, it's a two minute walk! Don't be such a worry wart, Gran." Rakamu says. He claps Gran on the back far too hard, and Gran stumbles, face first, into the pile of fabric and poles that will become their tent. All he sees is flashes of blue, the shine of metal, his own life slowly forming in front of him. He may die here.

By the time Catalina grabs him by his collar and hauls him back to his feet, Rakamu's left, and Io and Lyria stand ready. Gran gives a nod to Serefira, shoots a look at Vee, and pushes his way back into the thick wood, his party in tow behind him.

Meat. Firewood. Water. The camp. They can accomplish this before nightfall, right? Of course, they wouldn't have to be doing this at all, if it wasn't for a no good, forgetful, annoying...


	2. Story: I Just Wonder What Gran's Up To! (Part One)

Catalina finds it easy to move through the dense forest. She's had the best training in the art of silence, in scanning her surroundings, and using them to her advantage. Ten minutes back, she'd uncovered tracks, which seemed like some kind of edible mammal. She hoped. She also hoped it had trouble hearing, or perhaps is quite oblivious because her group... well, she's very happy that she didn't stay back in camp.

Gran has spent most of the trip glaring daggers into every single tree they pass, leading him to often walk into them. Io and Lyria are walking behind him, talking quietly, then getting progressively louder with their giggling, before they both pull very serious faces and start all over again Not exactly a hunting party.

When she spies another clue, though, Catalina can't resist waving for Io to join her, knowing full well how happy it would make her to learn about this. The young girl crashes forwards, silencing her steps as she came closer. Pointless, but cute. Io's smile is wide and toothy.

Catalina points to a broken branch, heading north, a few leaves bitten nearby. Io's eyes are wide as she takes it all in. Catalina crouches down to show the scuffs in the dirt, her back straight, tossing her hair carefully over her shoulder. Io sits down as gracefully as she can, ending with a loud plop on the hard soil. 

"See, this means that the deer walked this way. It was running, before, breaking that branch, but it felt calm enough to stop and eat. See?"

Io does see. She leans forward and examines the leaves. The branch. She pushes aside some dry grass and reveals a hoof print, freshly made.

Catalina beams, feeling pride well in her chest. "Wow, Io, good-"

"SHHHHHHHH!"

Gran's hiss comes louder than anything either girl has said. Io huffs as she turns, and Catalina clenches her hands into fists, feeling herself begin to shake as she too turns to look. Gran and Lyria are crouched in a thick, tall bush not too far off, with who knows what on the other side. But Gran pokes his face through the branches, and Lyria beckons them, so Io and Catalina creep their way over.

She eyes the bushes, but there's no way to stand and look over, or to duck around. Io weaves herself between branches with no problem, but it takes Catalina a solid minute to get her cloak and armoured body into the shrub. It doesn't help that Gran keeps tapping her on the leg, tugging her cloak, and hissing shushes.

By the time she manages to crouch her way in, Catalina is hot and tired. Gran gestures wildly to the bushes, and Catalina looks through.

Her eyes widen. Her jaw drops. She feels her heart fall to her feet as her mouth dries up.

Beneath them is a valley, filled to the brim with monsters. Flans slither around. Hellhounds and Alraunes prowl around each other, growls low and deadly. The center has a huge collection of Malboros, spraying toxins at each other.

"Gran," she whispers. She swallows hard. "Gran, we should get out of here. This is dan-"

"SHHHHH," Gran hisses. "Look. Look with your special eyes."

Catalina looks again. The Hellhounds look even angrier than they did four seconds ago. The patch of dirt around the Malboros is beginning to turn black. One Flan has melted, though she takes that as a good sign.

"Gran, I-"

"The CAVE!"

This time, she sees it. Hidden on the very far side of the valley. Perhaps wide enough for two people to stand side by side. In the fading light, something glints just inside. A very, very familiar glint.

Catalina's heart drops another twenty feet into the ground.

"We're not," she says. She turns to stare down at Gran, her eyes narrowing. 

The look in Gran's eyes says otherwise. The same glint from the cave.

"What are we looking at?" Io asks. She rolls onto the back of her heels, pouting. "It's just a shiny cave, isn't it?"

Lyria smiles. "It's limit break materials. Perhaps a batch even Sierokarte didn't know of."

"And on the other side of a hoard of monsters," Catalina insists. "It isn't safe. And we need to get food."

Gran stands, his eyes wide. Set. Determined. Twigs stick out of his hair at odd angles, and his entire backside has branches poking into it. He clasps his hands on her shoulders. "Catalina," he says. "This is more important than food. This is why we came here. Why we go anywhere. To push ourselves further. To collect all we can. To get materials just like this, no matter the risks. Everyone will understand. We _need to do this_." 

Lyria's eyes are full of admiration. Io's already got her staff in hand, grinning. Catalina can't imagine how she drew it in the thick shrub they'd all stuffed themselves into. 

"Are you in?" Gran asks. Catalina pulls back, and finds herself caught again in pieces of prickly bush. She wants to brush her hair, or straighten her back, or-

Lyria puts a hand on Catalina's. Her gaze is soft, helpful, and supportive. She gives a squeeze. "We can do it, Catalina. I know we can. I believe in you."

That seals it. "I'll help," she says.

Catalina tries to dislodge herself, failing over and over. She slides a hand through her hair, only to get her cape tangled. When that's free, she has to fix her hair again. Why did she stuff herself in here? Why didn't they just walk around and back? Gran trips trying to help her untangle her hair, and they both fall over, crashing so loudly any nearby animal would be long gone. Io slides out beside them, trying to be as poised as Catalina was before she fell on her ass.


	3. Story: Your Chi Will Warm You (Part One)

For someone so small, Welder has quite the arm on him. Oigen couldn't break himself away for the first ten minutes of their trip, and had to wait until Welder got distracted talking to a maple before he could walk on his own two feet. He watches, carefully, but Welder doesn't even notice he's let go. He strokes the tree trunk. He murmurs about the life of trees, the rings of power, the mossy-

Oigen shakes himself out of his stupor. He hefts the extra axe he borrowed onto his shoulder. He looks around. One tree not too far off seems to be starting to die. An easy chop, and without the green, it would burn without smoking or fizzling. He wanders over, eyes it, and swings the axe into his hands. He pulls back.

Welder, when he isn't talking, moves silently. When he yanks the axe out of Oigen's hands, the older man yells, eyes widening, and whips around. Welder looks horrified, dropping the axe, and hugging the dying tree.

"No!" he yells. "Oigen, listen, open your heart and mind, away from that awful closed shrewd mindset you're stuck in."

"Just because I bathe and you don't doesn't mean I'm _shrewd_ -"

"THIS TREE," Welder yells, "speaks to me. Its dying whispers speak of its life. It has seen the great rise and fall of masters and kings, and the creaking of the island in the sky as the breezes guide it. Its leaves have spread far, its seeds fathering many of this forest."

He takes a deep breath, rubbing his cheek against the bark. The tree is so scrawny Oigen has a hard time believing it's old enough for any of that. He picks up the axe again. He looks to the sky, knowing the sun will set soon. He needs that light to cut down a tree, and to track down Catalina and Gran on their hunt. Or at the very least, go back to Serefira...

Welder's talking again.

"-and when, mixing with the dirt, the song of the wind and the very breath of nature-"

"Okay," says Oigen. "Whatever. I won't cut down the tree."

Welder stands, nodding, his eyes sharp. "Indeed, you do well to heed my advice. As I said, this forest holds many secrets, and without my guidance, you could chop down the wrong tree, and send the entire universe into an unbalanced spiral."

"Yeah, I'd hate to do that," Oigen replies flatly. He points at another dead tree. "Can I cut down that one?"

"No, because-"

"What about that one?"

"You dare ask to chop down an oak? Why, I-"

"How about _that_ one?"

"No! There are no trees here that are ready for their departure. There is not a single sliver of bark I will allow you to touch!"

"Then we move on," Oigen says. This time, he grabs Welder and drags him behind himself. Welder flops. finding he can't escape.

Oigen stops seven times, and each time points out dying or dead trees, and Welder gives him their life history. Eventually Oigen lets him walk by himself, just because it's hard to keep the axe from hitting Welder in the side, and they're both terrified it will go the wrong way into him. With the sun having set, it also means that he won't drag Welder with him if he falls into a ditch. Or, well, he won't _next_ time he falls into a ditch.

Something catches his eye. He nudges Welder's side. A bright, red, flickering light through the woods. A torch. They're far from the camp, and of course it's not their own fire (they didn't have any wood still, and Oigen couldn't help but wonder why, in the most sarcastic way he could think), and he couldn't imagine anyone else from their group came this way.

Oigen raises a finger to his lips and crouches. Welder uses his stealth to follow suit, climbing into a large pine tree near by with the practice of, well, a forest ranger. Oigen himself leans on its trunk and peers around.

It wasn't a torch. A small group sits around a fire, four people-no, five, as Oigen notices one of them at the back of the camp.

Hacking down a tree with an axe.


	4. Story: Team Rakamu's Blasting Off Again! (Part One)

Rakamu whistles as he slings the empty bag over his shoulder. The stream, he knows, is not too far off. An easy find. He watches as the birds fly back to their homes, feels the gentle breeze, and for a bit, listens to the rustles behind him fading of Serefira and Eruta setting up camp. He knows Gran's miffed about the size of the forest, but Rakamu really thinks it's a great place. Besides, those limit break materials will be there. Sierokarte knows their stuff.

Okay, he should have found the stream by now.

He looks around, more intently. He doesn't remember the gnarled tree, that mangled bush... especially not that strange, dark pile of something, which may or may not have been blood. Ha. Well, then, it's a simple matter to head back to camp and reorient himself! He turns around, picking his way through the forest again, stepping over roots and dead leaves.

He still watches the birds, focuses on them, tracking their patterns. What way are they going? What was that twitch to the right? He spins. Nothing. Where's the camp? Why can't he hear Serefira anymore? That lightning tree is new. So is that piece of wire hanging from a branch.

Rakamu's confident he just took a slightly different path. Perhaps when he ducks around this tree, on the other side, he'll see something familiar.

He ducks.

He doesn't.

He quickens his pace. He looks left and right, straining his eyes in every direction. Nothing seems familiar. He can't even find the weird blood stain again, nor the wire. He can't seem to see any roots sticking up he stepped over. He isn't sure exactly what tree he walked around.

He doesn't want to admit it to himself. Did he somehow get lo-

No. It's a big forest, but it's not big enough for that. Besides, he didn't just come here for water! If he can't yet find the stream, he can see what he can dig up and harvest. His eyes set firmly on the ground, he begins his walk anew. A few more tree dodges later, he sees a familiar tuft of green, knowing a tuber lies beneath. He crouches down to his knees and digs his fingers into the soft earth.

This, he can do. There's no worries, just the soft earth, the slowly emerging tuber, his small smile as he's careful to avoid the other plants. Sometimes he thinks they all don't get enough vegetables and the like. It's so easy to hunt down an animal or two, but searching for these takes time, and those kids-

A rustle makes him look up, his fingers lodged to the knuckle in dirt. A badger stands close, very close, its nose twitching. Its cute, stripy face gazes at him, and Rakamu gives a tiny smile.

The badger hisses and lunges. Rakamu's up and running in under a second.

He ducks around a few trees, and pauses. There's silence, then a crash through the underbrush, and a small, angry animal darting out from under a bush. Rakamu takes absolutely no second chances. He begins to run, full speed, around trees, under branches, above roots. The noise of his own run masks any the badger makes, but surely he's almost put enough distance between them. A few more steps, perhaps around that tree- 

The first thing he thinks is that there is no ground on the other side of the tree. Rakamu stumbles, his foot finding perch on an all too steep hill. He tries to stop himself from pitching forward, but his speed is too great. He feels himself slowly lose his center of balance, and in the moment, he looks up at the darkening sky.

 _I'm so lost_ , he thinks, pitching face first down into the ravine.


	5. Story: Che has no taste, Megane Edgeworth is God's gift to mankind (Part One)

Serefira knows how to set up camp effectively. Once everyone else has left, she sets down the tent polls, throwing the cloths over and securing the ends down with practice. Eruta hovers near by, silent but helpful, taking the final tie offs while she adjusts the roof, and when she moves to the second tent, he begins to slide in their gear and bedrolls.

Vee is a bit less helpful setting up camp, as he hovers around her ears a lot, complaining.

"That Sierokarte!" he huffs for the fifth time since Serefira knelt down to tie off the corner of the tent. "They purposefully sent us on this terrible quest. When we get back, I'll give them a huge piece of my mind. They won't be able to chew it all! In fact, they'll choke, and then they'll be like, Vee, you're too powerful, I'll do my job properly from now on!"

He pauses. Serefira takes advantage of the silence.

"Eruta," she calls. He never would have heard her over Vee's rant. "Can you come here for a moment?"

He stores the final bunch of gear, including the final of ten fire axes and his cello, into the first tent, and shuffles across the camp. He stares at the ground slightly to her left.

"I was hoping you and Vee could go collect some deadwood to start a fire. I'll finish moving equipment into this tent in the meantime. How does that sound?"

Eruta nods, but catches her eyes. The look he gives her makes her laugh, and she covers her mouth with her hand. Somehow, his furrowed brows and bright eyes give her a clear idea on what he's wondering.

"Don't worry. If I know Welder, he won't be back until long after we need a fire going. Even with Oigen. Just be sure to thank the trees as you go and he won't mind."

Eruta gives a second nod, and Vee flies over to his shoulder, perching, and beginning his next rant by listing all of Sierokarte's more competent predecessors. He heads into the forest proper.

Serefira uses the time to finish up all the preparations she can. She moves the bedrolls into the second tent, placing her violin carefully on top of hers. She double checks the lock on Gran's box of casino winnings. And most importantly, she begins setting the fire pit up.

She noticed a slight depression near the centre of the camp earlier, searching for smooth patches to place the tents. She pulls rocks in from the edge of the clearing, forming a circle. By the time she's gathered some pine needles to use for kindling, Eruta and Vee appear.

"-and after they clean the floor of our airship I'll have them-"

She tunes out Vee's near endless rant and offers a hand out. Eruta's arms are laden with logs and sticks of various sizes, and together they pile them, light the kindling, and coax the logs to burn. It's not long before the smell of wood burning fills the small clearing.

It's still light out, but fading quickly. No one has returned, and with a flick of her ears, she knows no one will be shortly. She clears her throat. "Eruta, would you like to do something else with me?"

Eruta nods. Serefira wonders if he feels obligated, but she doesn't press it. She ducks into a tent, grabbing two bags. She turns to Vee.

"Will you watch the fire, Vee? I'm sure there's lots of things you can do to Sierokarte, but very few of them can be done without all our gear."

"There's lots I can do to them with fire!" Vee says, settling beside the fire. "I'll bring some of this back and show them-"

Serefira gestures for Eruta to follow her, and she heads towards the stream that Rakamu mentioned earlier. Perhaps Rakamu would enjoy the help. He must have gotten caught up harvesting plants to not have returned.

She picks her way between roots and branches, eyes fixed on the uneven terrain. She holds the ones that are at Eruta's eye level up for him. He gratefully ducks under them, giving her tiny smiles each time.

They hear the water before they see it, and when they duck around the last bushes, it's a sight. The stream is beautiful in the fading light. Tiny slips of pink and red dart on the surface. Further down, it slopes into a ravine, the water turning dark, speckled with light from between leaves. She hands Eruta a bag, and gestures to the water.

Eruta pauses. "Um," he says. He shifts on his feet, clenching the bag a bit. "Sorry. What about Rakamu? Is he gonna be okay with this?"

Serefira looks up and down the river. Rakamu's not around at all. "He may be gathering some vegetables. I think we should help him with the gathering and the water. We can get something started to eat, and add whatever he brings as it comes."

Eruta hesitates.

"I'm sure he's fine. You know Rakamu. He'll come back. I trust him."

That seems to cheer the boy. He kneels by the edge of the stream, filling the bag with water. He runs his fingers along the surface of a fish, laughing lightly. Serefira kneels by the edge of the riverbank, seeing the familiar tops of potatoes peeking out. She digs her fingers in, ears twitching to listen to Eruta shuffle over behind her, the water bag sloshing on his back. 

He doesn't say anything, but he does kneel beside her. She pulls the plant free, holding it up to show him.

"The tops look like this," she says. Eruta opens the second bag for her. She bangs off most of the dirt and puts the whole plant in.

"When we get back to camp, I'll show you how to make potato stew," she says. "It's my grandmother's recipe. She'd love for others to learn it."

"I'd like that. Thank you."

Serefira smiles. The more she digs, the more small talk she makes, the more Eruta opens up and replies.

"It's a good thing you got Catalina out of cooking," he says.

"You were the only one not to get sick last time she did cook. I'd think you wouldn't mind."

"That didn't make it taste any better."

Serefira laughs. She drops another pile of potatoes in the bag. The creek gurgles nearby, and although she's listening, she still can't make out the sounds of anyone else returning towards the camp.


	6. Story: I Just Wonder What Gran's Up To! (Part Two)

"Gran!" shouts Catalina, slicing through a Hellhound. Gran switches his sword from one hand to the other and turns to her warning. He dodges the vicious Flan that launches at him. Lyria finishes it with the Fish summon. It float-swims back to her side in time to block a Malboro's blast. Io weaves between lines, blasting spells where she can, the lights brightening the darkened sky.

In a few moments more she and Gran shift back to back, as Alraunes close in around them in a circle. Catalina gauges her footwork and dodges, parries, keeping close to Gran as he lunges as well. Plant bits fly through the air, alive and dead. Catalina keeps her back straight and eyes sharp, the dark pressing in at the corners as she swings her sword again. The sun has set, and it won't be long before the last light is gone.

"Gran!" she yells again. "Are you still sure about this?" 

Gran nods, spearing two Alraunes at the same time. He swings them into a Hellhound that's chewing on the Fish tail. The giant Fish (and Lyria) look over gratefully.

"Gran I think we should-"

"Catalina! Watch!" Io shouts. She raises her staff, and with a bright, blinding light, every single remaining Flan explodes into goo. Lyria and Gran shriek, and Catalina manages to pull her cloak over her face before a particularly large red slime ball smacks into her. A quick scan of the field reveals there is one lone Hellhound left.

It takes one look at the group and _runs_.

Gran thrusts the tip of his sword into the air and pumps his fist. Lyria crosses her arms on her chest and smiles. Io holds her staff behind her back and grins. Catalina stares off to the side as she sheaths her rapier, smiling, a hand on her hip.

The air blows around them as they stare, unmoving, into the empty field.

They hold their poses for a solid minute before putting away their weapons. Gran scrambles, running past the blackened Malboro circle, the bodies, and even the amazingly useful wind dagger drop. Lyria, clearly sensing his excitement, dismisses her summon and dashes after him. Io hovers by Catalina's side, and the older woman smiles.

"That was quite the powerful spell, Io," she says. Io _beams_ and opens her mouth to reply, when-

The most anguished scream rakes through the air. Catalina and Io snap their heads up in time to see Gran's knees collapse. His hands dig into his hair. Tears pour down the sides of his face. His body shakes like a leaf.

"What the FUCK is this?"


	7. Story: Your Chi Will Warm You (Part Two)

It will be the first and last time Oigen's climbed a tree so quickly.

He drops the axe and launches up the trunk, managing to snatch enough of Welder's cloak to make his majestic leap twist into a small hop, and then a plummet into the branches. Pine needles scatter around them and Oigen strains his arm to haul Welder back into their perch. Welder whispers apologies to the great pine. Oigen's more worried the large crash will have alerted the others, but there's no sign that the party of five cares.

Leaving the pine needles in his hair, Welder opens his mouth. Oigen clamps a hand down over it, glaring, though he isn't sure how well Welder can see him in the darkness of the tree cover.

"No," he says quietly. "We're getting firewood and going back to camp. You're not gonna waste my time with this."

Welder pries Oigen's fingers off, one by one, and then clears his throat, making a show of wiping his mouth off. "Oigen, you know of honour. You know of the pleas of help from the weak, the distant, the forgotten. This is a mistreatment of the wood. I cannot stand by and allow it to continue!"

"Well, I can't stand around waiting for you to make some dramatic speech about the life of the forest _again_ tonight. We're keeping Serefira and Eruta from a fire. They're sitting in the dark because of you!"

"When we tell them of this sacrilege, they will understand. Oigen, I need your help. As a Forest Ranger it is my _duty_ to save those trees."

"But-"

"If we take the firewood they already have cut, we can save time and get back as soon as we drive them off. The damage has been done. We may as well burn it with honour and peace in our hearts, having avenged its undue sacrifice." Welder flips his hair, gazing between pine needles at the starry sky above. He clenches one hand into a fist. "Oigen, I ask little, but that you assist me with the revenge I need to take."

Oigen thinks about saying no. But the way Welder stands, offering his hand down, Oigen knows that there's no way he can _stop_ Welder. Maybe if he helps, they'll be done sooner. And then he can be a hero, the fire bringer... warming them on a cold night... well, he'd rather go back, but he's already stuck in the damn tree.

"Fine," he says. "But I'm not standing up in this tree with you. What do we do?"

Welder pulls his hand back and grins.


	8. Story: Team Rakamu's Blasting Off Again! (Part Two)

The bright side, of course, of rolling down a giant hill, crashing over three logs, and having four kinds of leaves find their way into his mouth, is that at the bottom of ravines, there's water.

The gush of the water is close, but he has to detangle himself first. His arm comes out from inside his armor plate. His belts get shifted back to his front. He gets to his feet and pulls on a missing boot, and picks up his missing gun as it glints in the last rays of sunshine. He grabs a thick stick, lighting the top of it with a fire shot. He plants it in the ground beside him.

Water. Even he's lost, it doesn't matter, if he can still get his job done for those kids. He could get back, he thinks, dipping his fingers into the water. It's probably the same stream, so if he follows it, eventually he'll get there. He swings the bag he brought off his back.

Before he even places it in the stream, he sees a giant problem, in the form of a rip the entire length of the bag. Rakamu stares at it. He fingers the rip before taking a deep, long breath. He balls up the scrap of fabric in his hand, gazing at the dark water.

Okay, no big deal. He's a man of many talents. He crashed through some long grass on the way down the hill. He thanks his mother for that advanced basket weaving class he swore he would never need to use in his life.

He picks up the torch, guiding his way with the light. When he finds the flattened patch he rolled though, he's careful to set the stick far enough away it won't light the whole place on fire. He sets to work.

It takes a while to harvest a decent amount. It's not as thick as he would have hoped, but it's healthy, and more importantly, very water resistant. He takes his large collection back to the shoreline along with the torch (held very far away) and begins to weave.

An owl hoots nearby as he works intently. Over, under, around. All those hard days of work come back to him, and Rakamu loses track of time until he's produced a somewhat decent basket. He even bends a stick up and around for a handle, weaving the ends in securely. He won't have to worry about carrying it. Advanced basket weaving at its finest.

It slides easily into the water. Rakamu tilts it. When the water seems to stay, he grins to himself. Alright, now-

He begins to pull, but something catches his eye in the water. Bright scales. A large, long silver fish, that opens its mouth, and in one quick motion, yanks the basket from his hand, and carries it downriver.

Rakamu _stares_.

Before his brain can even finish processing what happened (a fish? A fish stole his basket. A fish just stole his basket full of water), a large crashing noise sounds behind him. He hefts his torch, jumping to his feet, waving the light in front of him frantically. Was it the fish again? In the forest?

Out of the underbrush appears a small, cute-

_It's the badger_.

Rakamu doesn't hesitate any further. He spins on his heel and runs along side the river. He can hear the crashing of the badger behind him, but he dares not turn to look and lose speed. He holds the torch far enough away from him to not burn his face, but sometimes has to drop it lower to avoid setting overhanging trees on fire. He stumbles every so often on the slick rocks by the shore, but even they don't slow him much.

Up ahead, the tree cover is less dense, and the thin streams of moonlight illuminate the mouth of a cave. Rakamu shifts his weight, beginning to run for the shelter, as two sets of golden eyes appear in there. He skids on the slick surface of the shore, stopping not ten feet from the largest bear he has ever seen pulling its way out.

Behind him, the badger slows its patting feet, hissing. He glances at it, then the bear, which rears. He throws his torch in the stream, and begins to climb up the side of the ravine.

Both animals seem distracted enough by the steam to avoid chasing him. Rakamu has never climbed so quickly in his life. He tugs at saplings, pulls his belts free from bushes, and doesn't even blink when he puts a foot straight into a thorny shrub. He needs to get away. Loose pebbles and dirt rain down behind him.

He needs to find somewhere to hide, but he isn't sure he's ever going to make it out of this ravine. Rakamu prays as he scrambles he at least ran in the right direction down the stream that would bring him closer to camp.

A roar echoes below him. He picks up his pace.


	9. Story: Che has no taste, Megane Edgeworth is God's gift to mankind (Part Two)

No one has returned.

Darkness has fallen, and Vee has fallen asleep by the fire. The potato stew simmers, supplemented by some spices Eruta found on their walk back. He sits close to the fire, lifting his head at every sound. Rakamu should have been back long ago. Gran he can understand, and he trusts Catalina to see them all back safely. Welder and Oigen worry him desperately. He bites a nail.

Serefira sits down beside him, light and graceful. He flicks his gaze to her, and she flicks her ears towards him. She gives the stew a stir. Her other hand grips her violin.

"Still nothing?" she asks. Eruta shrugs a shoulder, biting at his nail again.

"It'll be alright," she says. "We've been through worse messes."

"We shouldn't have split up," Eruta mumbles.

"Perhaps," Serefira replies. Her tone implies she thinks otherwise. Eruta feels his cheeks heat up. He shouldn't have said anything.

"Sorry."

They fall silent. Eruta picks at the skin around his nails, watches the fire, scans the forest. He runs a hand through his hair. 

The first notes of a song hover through the air. He glances over again, this time with his eyes wide. Serefira has started playing.

It's soft, sweet, and gentle. He lets it wash over him for a few minutes. He thinks she has excellent control, and she understands just how to layer her notes, how to keep her tempo, how to smoothly transition from one song to another.

By the third, Eruta pushes himself up onto his feet, ducking into a tent. He hauls out his cello, using Gran's casino winnings box as his seat. He tunes for a moment, and then joins her. 

He lets her lead the song, picking the movements and shifts, and he follows through on them. He focuses in on following, tapping his foot, humming along when Serefira shifts back to a familiar segment.

When she stops and looks over, Eruta looks back. She gives him a smile. 

"You play very well," she says. "Would you like to lead the next one?"

"Huh?" Eruta says. He rubs his cheeks. He glances at his feet. Serefira complimenting him. On playing. His mind draws a blank. Very well. He plays _very_ well. Should he reply? Should he say something? 

"I'm not, uh," he starts. He clears his throat. He fumbles the words out of his mouth. "I'm still learning a lot."

"That's no problem. I like playing with you."

Eruta looks at the forest. He raises his shoulders up to his ears. 

"One more song," he says. Serefira smiles and begins the next song. He names it: He hopes she compliments his playing again.


	10. Story: I Just Wonder What Gran's Up To! (Part Three)

He thought he had seen the worst life could offer him.

He thought, already, he'd suffered all life could throw at him. The hardships. The pains of life. Tripping into trees this entire damn way through Dendro Forest. His food being cold last night at the pub. That time someone ran over his foot. Accidentally feeding a knife to the wrong axe. Surely that was the limit.

Gran stares at the cave. He still doesn't believe it.

It's just shiny rocks. Not gems. Not treasure. Not limit break materials. Nothing.

Io hovers nearby, a fire above her staff illuminating the useless, pointless cave before them. Gran feels tears well to his eyes for the eighth time since he knelt down. He punches the ground, and winces, shaking his hand. He blows on it. He hears noises behind him, knowing Catalina and Lyria are turning, pretending they didn't see him just hit his knuckles into a stone.

He hears them begin to whisper, but he can't stop staring at the cave. He wanted those materials so much. The desire burned in him, like a burning... desire. Poetry isn't his strong suit.

"Gran, do you want to wait here?" Catalina asks. "We're going to see if we can pick up the trail again, bring something back. For food." 

Gran nods, unable to bring himself to talk. Sorrow and rage choke his throat. Lyria gives him a hug, and Catalina puts a hand on his shoulder. It's a few more minutes before he hears them shuffle off. Io lights him a torch and props it in the ground beside him. Gran shoots her a grateful look before she wanders off herself.

The sorrow settles. Gran lies down on the ground, watching the flames flicker in the sky, the stars wheeling in the sky between the thick branches. He glares. There should have been something for him in this. He sacrificed so much time. So much energy. He's never moving from this spot.

He isn't sure how much time he lies there, glaring at the sky, thinking about just what _exactly_ he is going to do to Sierokarte when he arrives back. Maybe punch him. Maybe kick him. Maybe throw him into this hellish forest from a thousand feet up in the air. He could be _gambling_ right now.

When his party returns, he doesn't move his body, only his eyes. Catalina tied squirrels to each of her belts and hefts a deer over her shoulders. Io lights the way, carrying her own array of small mammals. Lyria kneels beside him, touching his hair.

"Gran, we should head back to camp," she says. Gran grunts.

She gets back up, grabs his foot, and drags. Gran lets her. He keeps his arms crossed on his chest, again squeezing his own arms so tightly he cuts of circulation, trying not to grunt and cry out as she drags him through the bumpy undergrowth. How was it not limit break materials! Why is he forced to have dirt going up the back of his shirt! Why does that tree seem to be laughing at him! 

He can feel the fire, hear the crackles of the camp before his butt is dragged into the actual clearing of the camp. He's gonna have bruises down his back for the next sixteen years. He manages to sit up.

Serefira is taking the deer off Catalina's shoulders, and Vee is flying around Lyria's head like they've been gone for decades.

"I killed that deer!" Io says, putting her hands on her hips. "Isn't that right?"

"It is," Catalina says. She and Serefira share a look, and Gran would have shared it too, had he had the energy to stand. Or smile. Or exist in this limit material-lacking world. They pull out knives and start to teach how to skin an animal to Io. 

It takes him another five minutes, but Gran manages to crawl beside the fire, glaring at the pot of bubbling stew, just because it's there. Lyria drapes a blanket around him and hands him a cup of malt. He sips it, tasting its gross flavour, knowing he deserves it.

Eruta appears and Gran's eyes widen.

"You," Gran whispers. "Come here." 

Eruta pales. He sits down beside Gran, shaking so hard that his clothes rattle on his thin frame. Gran reaches a hand out of the blanket cocoon and grabs Eruta's shirt, hauling him forward. 

"A-are you... okay, Gran?" Eruta squeaks.

"You. I need you to do something for me. I need you to play me a song."

"A s-song? I'm sorry?" Eruta looks like he may faint, or throw up, so Gran lets him go. That would only add to the fun of his horrible wood-ly visit.

"A song. A melody... I'm not really sure how it goes. But it's sad, and it's sweet, and I knew it complete, when I wore a-"

Gran cuts himself off, realizing Eruta is staring, and so is everyone else around the campfire. Even Vee. Gran stares off to the side and clears his throat.

"Just play me something sad and let me have a drink, okay?"

Eruta shrugs. He goes to the one tent and hauls out his cello, which is too close for it to have been packed. It's only a few more moments before the smell of roasting meat and the sounds of the tragic life he leads fill the air.

He names the song: He hates this forest.


	11. Story: Your Chi Will Warm You (Part Three)

The coo of a dove. An unusual sound at night, but unmistakable for what it is. The signal to begin.

At first, Oigen had been slow to help. He barely helped collect leaves. He mocked the pulley system they rigged together. But here he is, holding the end of the rope, his ears cocked for that damn dove coo. By the third time it sounds, he lets go. 

In the clearing, Welder soars down, landing firmly beside the fire. Two people scream. The person cutting down the tree faints dead away. Oigen can't stare for too long, though, knowing Welder will remove his harness on his own. He has to move.

A quick duck under a branch, sliding to the bush where part two of their sixteen point plan is hidden. He reaches under, pulling out the giant bundle of leaves, and when Welder throws his hands into the air, Oigen uses the strength of every single moment of training, every drunken brawl, every time he had to shove an aggressive shopper out of his way during a sale. He _chucks them_.

Welder lifts a hand into the air, perfectly timed as the leaves fall around him. Oigen ducks back into the tree cover, as Welder starts his first speech (entitled, The Death of The Dendro's Soul).

"You," Welder's voice booms out, above the crackling fire. The four conscious people are standing, a mix of fear, shock, and complete confusion. Oigen rounds the edge of the clearing, stepping over the fainted man and his axe, as Welder raises a hand to his head, leaning back to stare at the dark sky. His face flickers with shadows. "You dare to come within this forest, with your arrogance blazing like the sun. Blazing for all to see!"

Oigen shimmies up the short tree, grabs part four of the plan, and throws the huge bundle of pine needles they pulled from Welder's hair into the fire. It explodes in a flame. Someone screams again. Welder raises both arms, spreading his legs.

"This is the horror you have brought upon yourself! This is what I must fix! I am a warrior of justice, of strength, a defender of the innocent. I know the breath of the maple, the soul of beech, the crawling of ash across the plains. My name is Welder, Forest Ranger!"

Oigen climbs down the tree, ready to move on to the next section. He takes two steps. A hand clamps down on his shoulder.

This time, he screams. 

The man who fainted seems to have recovered in the time it took Oigen to climb down from the tree. His eyes are dark and as blazing as the fire. A long, jagged scar runs from his ear to his mouth, and Oigen can't help but notice the sword still strapped to his side. The man's bald head gleams.

Oigen realizes he has made a terrible mistake far, far too late.

Thankfully, it isn't too late to dodge the punch and roll out of the grip of the man. Started, Baldy blinks, then lunges forwards. Oigen catches him in the chest with a kick. The man grabs at his chest, eyes wide, gasping. Winded. Oigen launches forwards to see how Welder is fairing.

The answer is poorly, though how it got so bad so fast Oigen can't say. Welder bleeds out his nose, his feather broken, his hair a dirtier mess than before, and just as Oigen begins to run forward, one of the much less confused and much angrier people stabs him in the side with a knife. Welder manages to yank it out of his attacker's hand, keeping it pressed in his side.

"You will suffer for this!" Welder calls. "The forest does not forget, nor do I! You will see this night, your horrors, every time you-"

Oigen closes the gap, lifting the small, still preaching man over his shoulder, and books it as fast as he can away from the fire. He hears the crashing of feet behind him for a while, and doesn't stop, even as branches catch his face and tear his skin. He wanted to go protect the girls. He wanted to go hunting. Hell, he wanted to cut down a tree, and instead, he has to listen to Welder still shouting over his shoulder, trickles of blood ruining Oigen's clothing.

"The oaks remember, the aspen sneer! The elm will whisper and chatter as the birch gossip and hate. Their roots entangle with your wrongdoings! Evergreens, spruce and larch, they-"

"Welder, in the name of all the beasts from Tiamat to Shiva, shut _up_!"

For five blissful minutes, Welder shuts up. Oigen slows to his usual gait, or as best he can match, considering the lump on his shoulder. He can't believe he thought this plan might go well, or he'd get any firewood out of it. He vows never to trust Welder again.

Just as Oigen feels Welder begin to stir and begins bracing himself for a speech (only for him to cough up blood down Oigen's back), he sees a fire up ahead, where he knows the clearing should be. He smells the roasting of meat. He hears... something. It seems Serefira has gotten a fire going without them. Welder is going to be pissed.

Oigen shuffles his way in, and as soon as he's in the light, Serefire and Catalina stand up, eyes wide. He's too tired to even care. A deer carcass sits close by, its meat roasting over the large fire, as Vee and Lyria attend to it. Io is lying on her back, staring at the sky, and of all things Eruta is playing the worst song he has _ever_ heard.

Gran is staring at the fire, his eyes as empty as the time he missed a sale for higher level limit break materials, a blanket pulled tightly around him. An empty cup sits beside him. Catalina reaches them and picks Welder off Oigen's shoulder like he's a cat.

"No firewood?" she asks.

"I don't want to talk about it," Oigen says. He nods towards Gran. "What happened there?"

"It's best not to say. We just got him to stop crying again."

Oigen runs a hand through his hair, sighs, and heads to the tents. He digs through the bags for his whiskey. Seems like Gran will be sharing some of it with him tonight. 

By the time he returns to the fire, Lyria's offering everyone food, while Catalina heals Welder's side. Serefira sits beside him as well, patiently explaining how she definitely knew Eruta asked the trees permission, and they said yes. Oigen sits heavily beside Gran, takes a drink, and offers the bottle over. Gran drinks some without hesitating.

Io perks up, climbing over to the two of them, a kebab between her teeth. Oigen gives her a smile and pats her hair, as Eruta starts up on the next song. Oigen names it: He hates trees.

He glances around camp once more, as Gran hands him back the flask. His brows furrow.

"Where's Rakamu?"


	12. Story: Team Rakamu's Blasting Off Again! (Part Three)

Rakamu stares down the ravine at the moonlit water, his shoulders heavy, his back pressed against the tree he finally managed to climb. The soft light of the stars pierce throughout the darkened leaves, pinpricks of distant joy. His hands tug his knees to his chest.

Is this all he can manage? Is this his end? Doomed to fail the simple task of looking after his friends, on the one thing they trusted him on. Do they worry about him? Do they laugh at his failure, or resent him for being unable to provide like they do for him? He told Gran to look after them, but... did Rakamu even look after everyone in the first place, or is he just a burden upon their lives? Was he like these leaves, dead, and crinkled, stepped on?

His soul aches in his chest as he stares at the spot the bear previously stood. He should know better. He should be off trying to find everyone, or bringing the water to them, or digging around for the roots. But he can't bring himself to climb back down, not when he isn't sure where the badger is.

Through the tree's canopy, he glances at the moon, willing it to give him the courage, or the answers to his problems. But the moon is silent, judgmental, and cruel. No, Rakamu must be bereft the rest of his days... a punishment he deserves. Oh, moon, even the celestial powers, shunning him!

Sleep comes fitfully. His mind darts between the relief of blank sleep, and the pressure of the moon, looking at him like- Rakamu's stomach growls. He's getting too hungry to keep coming up with his waxing poetry. Which is a shame, as his only pride now is his weaving of the words... unlike his failures at weaving the basket hours earlier.

The next time his eyes flick open, he's greeted by a pink sky at sunrise. His legs are so cramped that when he moves to stand, he tumbles straight out of the tree. He curses, rubbing feeling back into his thighs, calves, and feet. What was he thinking, sleeping curled up in a tree?

His entire back feels bruised, and he thinks he's caked in enough dirt and leaves to earn a five year long bath. He manages to tug himself up on a low hanging branch, straightening.

There it is again.

The badger.

Rakamu loses it.

"You!" he shouts. "You've done this to me! You've doomed me to die out here, in these ugly trees, with dirt and pain! You drove me away and ruined my job! I've let down everyone because of _you!_ "

The badger hisses. This time, Rakamu can't bring himself to run. His legs feel tingly, his mind foggy, his stomach empty. He closes his eyes, his shoulders deflating. He isn't even sure where he found the energy to yell. He waits for the inevitable.

Nothing happens.

He cracks an eye open. The badger watches him, and when it sees the sliver of white in his eye, it nods and starts walking. After a few steps, it looks back and gives a small hiss. It nods again.

...should he follow? He takes a step. 

The badger starts walking again. Rakamu picks his way after it, very conscious of what he's doing. Perhaps he's so sleep deprived and hungry he's hallucinating. That would explain the weird, grumbled sounds he soon picks up, the low sounds of cello, and the thick smell of roasting meat above a pine fire-

"Rakamu! Where have you _been_?"

The clearing. The camp. Everyone's there.

He'd only been walking for three minutes.

Catalina's standing beside the fire, hands on her hips, ladle in hand. Serefira sits beside her, trying to ease the instrument out of her hand. Rakamu hopes she managed to keep Catalina from helping spice whatever's boiling in the pot on the fire for breakfast. Welder lies not to far off, nursing a wound to his side. Oigen drinks, his eyes hollow and lifeless. Gran's nose is red and his eyes puffy, as if he'd cried himself to sleep the night before. Io plays with deer hooves with Vee. Eruta is playing a beautiful slow song.

The sun peeks out above them. Rakamu's never been happier for the night to end.

He's home.

The badger bites his foot. Rakamu shouts, kicking, but it's already fled. Eruta launches into a new song. Rakamu names it: He hates badgers.


End file.
